Senior Director, Biospecimen Management

Job description

At Bristol Myers Squibb, our employees often ask, “Who are you working for?”—a question that fuels collaboration, accountability, and urgency in our work. Our purpose-driven culture inspires us to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to prevail over serious diseases. We offer uniquely interesting and meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a supportive environment that values inclusion, wellbeing, flexibility, and comprehensive benefits. This is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. Senior Director, Biospecimen Management About the Role Bristol Myers Squibb is building a world-class Consent, Biospecimen & Imaging (CBI) organization within Global Development Operations, designed to drive excellence and innovation across end-to-end biospecimen management in support of both Research and Development objectives. The Senior Director, Biospecimen Management is a senior leadership role reporting directly to the Executive Director, Consent, Biospecimen & Imaging Management Head. This individual will serve as a strategic and operational leader responsible for delivering high-quality, efficient biospecimen management across all BMS-sponsored clinical trials — while contributing to the broader evolution and optimization of CBI's cross-functional capabilities. Key Responsibilities Team Leadership & Performance Lead and develop a high-performing Biospecimen Management team, with full accountability for team performance, career growth, and talent development Oversee biospecimen management leads supporting trials across all therapeutic areas, ensuring consistent quality and delivery Demonstrate exemplary leadership across large, geographically distributed on-site and remote teams Champion team dynamics and cross-functional relationship building in a collaborative, inclusive environment Operational Excellence Drive high-quality, efficient biospecimen management support across the full BMS clinical trial portfolio Act as the primary escalation point for study- and portfolio-level risks or issues related to biospecimen collections Manage internal timelines to ensure alignment with vendor and clinical study milestones, maintaining open communication and proactively resolving or escalating vendor issues Define, track, and report on key performance metrics related to biospecimen management capacity and operational effectiveness Strategy & Innovation Partner with the ED and CBI leadership team on strategic planning, process improvement, and service development initiatives Lead internal and external initiatives to advance operational quality, close gaps, and introduce new capabilities aligned with the CBI mission Lead cross-functional efforts to innovate and improve biospecimen operations at scale Contribute to the delivery of IT capabilities that enhance operational effectiveness, biospecimen tracking, and reconciliation Stakeholder & Vendor Management Build and sustain partnerships across a large, diverse stakeholder network — understanding their needs and ensuring operational processes are designed to meet them Manage and develop relationships with biospecimen management vendors; ensure vendor performance standards are met and maintained Serve as a functional subject matter expert during internal audits and vendor visits Regulatory & Scientific Expertise Maintain current knowledge of relevant regulatory guidance, GCP/ICH standards, and external industry trends as they pertain to biospecimen management Apply scientific knowledge of safety, pharmacokinetics, genetics, and biomarker research to optimize biospecimen processing and sampling plans for clinical trials Ensure regulatory and ethical aspects of biospecimen collection are embedded across all operational processes Resource & Portfolio Management Ensure appropriate resourcing across the book of work (BOW), including capacity planning across a portfolio of 100+ clinical studies Apply strong skills in project prioritization, financial planning, and portfolio management to deliver operational objectives at scale Qualifications Education Bachelor's degree in a relevant scientific or clinical discipline (required) Master's or Doctoral degree (preferred) Experience 10+ years of global experience in clinical drug development, clinical research, or a related field — with biospecimen management experience required 7+ years of leadership experience managing global, cross-functional teams Extensive drug development experience from pre-clinical through clinical testing, with a strong emphasis on the operational, regulatory, and ethical dimensions of biospecimen collection Demonstrated experience working with central laboratories, data management, and clinical trial operations organizations Prior experience with corporate drug development and submissions, particularly in clinical development and translational medicine Experience managing and developing relationships with biospecimen management vendors Technical & Functional Skills Advanced knowledge of GCP/ICH guidelines, biospecimen management systems, and clinical development processes Familiarity with chain-of-custody tracking technologies and biospecimen management tools; experience with consent management systems is a plus Ability to translate scientific and regulatory requirements into technology builds that enable successful digitization of biospecimen operations Strong project management, resource planning, and financial management capabilities Leadership & Interpersonal Skills Demonstrated ability to lead large, diverse, global teams across multiple time zones and therapeutic areas Outstanding communication, negotiation, and influencing skills at all organizational levels Proven ability to build cross-functional relationships and foster positive team dynamics Highly detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple priorities and complex portfolios simultaneously Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex topics clearly to varied audiences Travel Requirements Up to 20% of travel. We hire for skills and capabilities, not just credentials – if this role excites you, but doesn’t perfectly match your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway. Compensation Overview: Madison - Giralda - NJ - US: $244,560 - $296,352 Princeton - NJ - US: $244,560 - $296,352 The starting pay range(s) listed above is for full-time employees (FTE). You may also be eligible for additional discretionary incentive cash and stock opportunities. We determine starting pay thoughtfully – carefully considering the nature of the role, required skills, work location, schedule and the knowledge and experience you bring. Final compensation is guided by pay equity principles and applicable employment laws. Compensation programs are reviewed on an ongoing basis and may be adjusted over time to reflect evolving market factors, and individual, team or Company performance. Benefits: Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect, you may be eligible to participate in our comprehensive benefit plans – including wellbeing support, retirement and financial protection benefits, and insurance offerings (medical, dental, vision, life and disability). U.S.-based exempt employees are eligible for Flexible Time Off (FTO), which provides paid time off without a set accrual limit, subject to manager approval, along with 11 paid company holidays each year. Non-exempt employees, RayzeBio employees, and employees located in Puerto Rico receive 160 hours of paid vacation annually for new hires (subject to manager approval), 11 paid company holidays, and 3 optional holidays. Depending on eligibility, employees may also have access to additional time-off benefits, including paid sick leave, up to two paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, and leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereaveme